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Travis_0004

(5,417 posts)
1. There is a flaw in the logic
Thu May 30, 2013, 05:42 PM
May 2013

let me give you another example.

At work, the business next store is our customer. I fold down invoices, and about twice a week, walk their invoice over to them instead of mailing it.

A penny pinching boss might say that I"m wasting company resources. If it takes me 5 minutes to walk the invoice there and back, wouldn't it be cheaper to just mail it. Assuming I make more than 9.20 an hour (which I do), he would be correct, but since I'm salaried, I'm getting paid if I'm walking next door, twiddling my thumbs, or I just go home earlier. So the savings for me walking the letter is .46 cents. (My main reason for doing it is to stretch for a little bit mid day).

Congress is no different. They are salaried, they are getting paid regardless of how many bills they pass. So there is a very high fixed cost to congress, just to have them show up for the year, but the marginal cost, per bill passed is very small. If they choose not to rename a post office, the actual savings would be close to 0. Maybe they save a few sheets of paper, but not much else.

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